| Directed by | R. Madhavan |
|---|---|
| Written by | R. Madhavan |
| Produced by | Sarita Madhavan R. Madhavan Varghese Moolan Vijay Moolan |
| Starring | R. Madhavan Simran |
| Cinematography | Sirsha Ray |
| Edited by | Bijith Bala |
| Music by | Sam C. S. |
| Production companies | Tricolour Films Varghese Moolan Pictures 27th Entertainment |
| Distributed by | UFO Moviez Red Giant Movies Yash Raj Films Phars Film Co |
Gist of the Story
A biographical drama based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist for ISRO who spent years fighting for justice after being wrongfully convicted of espionage.
Plot
In the late 60’s, Nambi Narayanan (R Madhavan) is a prodigy working at ISRO as a technical assistant under Vikram Sarabhai (Rajit Kapoor). In 1969, he moved to New Jersey, USA, to attend the prestigious Princeton University. His dream is to complete his PhD under Professor Crocco (Vincent Liotta). The professor does not accept students, but makes an exception for Nambi due to his convictions, sharp mind, and Nambi’s offer to take care of the household chores and the professor’s ailing wife (Blanca Petric). Through his studies at Princeton University under Professor Crocco, Nambi acquires a great deal of knowledge about liquefied gases. He received an offer from NASA, but he turned it down and returned to India so he could lead ISRO to dizzying heights. Thanks to Nambi, ISRO was able to obtain hydraulic engine parts from Rolls-Royce free of charge. He also brings a team of ISRO scientists to France to support their space missions. In return, Nambi and the scientists continue to learn about space technology. During the collapse of the Soviet Union, Nambi does its best to secure cryogenic fuel-based engines at low prices. Everything is going well for Nambi, but on November 30, 1994, everything changes. Nambi was arrested on charges of espionage and leaking important secrets to Pakistan. What happens next forms the rest of the movie.
Performance
The performance of Madhavan as Nambi Narayanan is unquestionably among his greatest. He has worked extremely hard to portray Nambi accurately; whether it’s gaining weight or perfecting the facial hair and hairstyle, nothing seems caricature-like. Over time, there has been a notable change in his body language. Simran, who plays Nambi’s better half, Meena, is yet another talented performer who stands out in the movie. Her d-glam appearance, silence, anger, and suffering are admirable. Dr. Vikram is played well by Rajit Kapur. Sam Mohan’s portrayal of a fellow scientist stands out among the supporting performers. In a special appearance, Suriya (Shah Rukh in Hindi) is terrific in the Tamil version. Their presence raises the bar for film.
Direction/Technical Side
Writer-director Madhavan divides the story of Nambi Narayanan into two parts. In the first half, we get to see the young scientist stay in Princeton and his bold plans to make India a leader in the aerospace sector. The first half ends with Nambi Narayanan, along with other scientists like Vikram Sarabhai and Abdul Kalam, with an interesting mention of India’s space exploration and the obstacles it faced along the way. I was surprised to see too much emotion in the second half. The transition from science lecture to human drama is commendable. Madhavan takes you on an emotional journey. The film also highlights the importance of family and includes some humorous and goofy moments between colleagues and other scientists trying to balance life and career. The film was shot in his eight countries, has compelling imagery, and is credited to cinematographer Sasha for his Ray. His background music in Sam CS was less impactful, and Visit his rose cut could have been more vivid, especially in the first half.
Verdict; It is clear that R Madhavan put his heart and soul into his first film as a filmmaker because the lead actor gives a compelling performance. This is not your typical biopic. The viewers will undoubtedly feel patriotic when they leave the theater!